The Reluctant Khaleesi
by Poetgirl616
Summary: Discontinued! Under rewrite!
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Sansa stared at the wall of her chambers, her prison cell that was made to look like a gilded cage. Her upper arms ached where Jeffrey had gripped her hard, trapping her against the pillar in the throne room. He'd said more disgusting things and taunts about what he'd like to do to her traitor brother. Tears rolled down her cheeks and dripped off the bottom of her chin. She wished she had never left Winterfell, never met Joffrey Baratheon, first of his name. . .

 **Tywin Lannister's chambers/Tower of the Hand**

"The Dothraki have sent us a crow demanding that we send a total of five thousand slaves. They seem to be under the impression that we have plenty to spare." Tywin announced to those gathered in his chambers. Cercei, Tyrion and Joffrey were spread around the space.

"We have servants, sure, but not five thousand." Tyrion responded, swirling wine around his goblet, before downing it in three gulps. "Nor, do we have the coin necessary to purchase that many servants. So, how do we solve this problem?"

"We cannot send them nothing, we cannot afford a war with the Dothraki as well as the false kings." Tywin drawled.

"We give them a bride." Cercei suggested.

"Who would we give as a bride?" Tyrion asked, frowning at his golden haired sister.

A mad gleam shone in Joffreys eyes. "The Stark bitch! We can give her to those savages."

Tywin stared at the young king, seeming to ponder the suggestion, however rude the wording.

"Surely you wouldn't hand the key to the north to a band of savages!" Cercei exclaimed, shocked that he would entertain an outrageous idea.

"I will if it means no war, if it ensures the safety of my family." Tywin replied, his tone left no room for argument.

Tyrion had been blindsided by shock, his tongue not cooperating the first few moments of the almost argument. Now, he spoke his thoughts. "Hasn't the child been through enough?"

His family gave him looks that were impossible to misinterpret.

Tywin dressed his disfigured son. "I don't much care for the girl. She is a means to an end, that is all. Before, she was the key to the north, our ticket to claiming Winterfell for our own. Now, she is a means to prevent war."

The rest of the meeting was spent writing a reply to the Dothraki, offering Sansa as a bride to their Khal. The raven was sent soon after, then the wait for an answer began. . . .


	2. Chapter One: The Awaited Answer

Chapter One: The Awaited Answer

The Tower of the Hand

The door to the Hands' chambers burst open and a boy carrying a small scroll ran forward. "My lord Hand, this has been given to me by the raven keeper. It is of great urgency."

Tywin took the small paper and read it, silent and still as the grave.

"Well, what does it say?" Cercei asked, practically growling in her impatience.

"You will stay silent until I state otherwise." He replied, his voice as hard as the stones that made the Great Keep.

The Queen Regent huffed, but didn't speak.

Tywin tossed the scroll into the fire and scrawled something onto another piece of parchment close by.

Once he had sent it off with the messenger boy, he turned to the gathered. "The Dothraki have given us an answer."

Cercei, Tyrion and Joffrey all tried to pry the information from Tywin, but he refused to say until he made sure things were in order. . .

Elsewhere in the castle

Sansa P. O. V

I bathed and Shae dressed me in a modest dress that wasn't meant to be worn outside my chambers. I had no plans to venture outside today, nor had Joffrey demanded my presence.

I made slow progress of my needle work and read tales of old kings to pass time between meals. Much to my surprise, a knock on the door came before dinner.

Shae strode quickly to open the door, announcing the visitor as trained. "My lady, Ser Meryn to see you."

My heart stopped beating for a moment, Joffrey had sent him for me. I was sure of it.

"Alright, Shae, I will be there in a moment." I answered, forcing my voice to remain steady as I put away my needle work with shaking hands.

I slid the simply made gown off and slipped into a more appropriate dress. "Shae, come here. Quickly now."

She obediently came to fasten my dress and fix the back so it was properly covering my legs and bottom.

As soon as she finished, I hurried to the door. "Thank you for your patience, Ser Meryn."

I was attempting to be polite, even though I wanted nothing more than to be rude and go return to my needle work.

"His Grace requests your presence." Ser Meryn told me in his harsh voice, there were no kind words toward me, not any more.

"Very well, Ser, I am ready." I answered, though I wasn't entirely sure that was true.

He led me in silence to the small council chambers.

I frowned in confusion. This was strange, Joffrey usually demanded that I meet with him in the throne room or his private chambers.

Ser Meryn opened the door, waited until I passed through, then immediately closed it behind me.

The Queen Regent, the Lord Hand Tywin, Lord Tyrion and Joffrey were seated at the small council table.

"Lady Sansa, take a seat, join us." Lord Tywin drawled, gesturing to the seat between Joffrey and Lord Tyrion.

I took the offered seat obediently.

"You are here, lady Sansa, because you have been asked for by a king from another realm." Lord Tywin told me, like he was reciting the weather patterns.

I blinked at him. "But I am bound to marry Joffrey, my one true love." I parroted to them, the words like acid on my tongue.

Jeffrey jeered at me. "You have been freed by the Faith." He paused, his eyes taking on a more wild look. His sick smile twisting his lips. "You have been freed to become a whore to the king of savages!"

I sucked in a breath, I could feel the blood drain from my face, all traces of relief leaving my body. What did he mean, king of savages?

"Joffrey." Lord Tywin barked, tone sharper than a sword.

"My lord, I don't understand. What did His Grace mean?" I inquired, my eyebrows knitting together.

Lord Tywin glared at his grandson. "What my grandson failed to handle with tact, is properly relaying your intended husbands name. He is Khal Drogo, of the Dothraki."

"Dothraki?" I echoed, not recognizing the name.

"The horse people from across the Narrow Sea. The Khal wishes to see you before he decides whether or not you will be his bride." Lord Tywin explained, voice dull.

"And if he doesn't choose me?" I murmured, fear settling in my stomach. Dothraki lords so far from Winterfell, from the Seven Kingdoms.

"No one knows what exactly happens, but it isn't pleasant, from the stories." He replied, waving a hand as if waving away my concerns. "You will sail on the first ship to cross the Narrow Sea tonight. You will meet the Khal in Pentos in one full turn of the moon, one month. Oh, and I have had the seamstress wrap the dress you are to wear to meet the Khal, it should have arrived in your chamber by now. Do not open it until time to meet the Khal, nor think to attempt leaving it behind." His hard, cold eyes bored into my soul. "You may go."

I walked to my chamber, my thoughts running through my head at a dizzying speed. I do not remember Ser Meryn opening the door to the Small Council chambers to let me out. Nor do I recall noticing Shae fuss and settle me into the only chair in the room.

This couldn't be real. This couldn't be happening to me. These things happen to other girls, not me.

These were the last thoughts I had before I fainted.


	3. Chapter Two: Tharius

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Game of Thrones or any of its characters.**

 **Authors Note: I apologize for the length between posts, but I had trouble with this chapter. Namely creating something more original that was still what each character would actually do or say. Harder than it sounds.**

 _ **Chapter Two: Tharius**_

 _ **Sansa**_

I stood on the deck of the Storm Sword, hands resting on the railing as I stared out over the waves.

I'd woken two hours ago, changed into a traveling dress and gathered my packed belongings. Lord Tywin and Shae joined me, along with armed guard, as I met with the captain of the ship and boarded.

I hadn't seen the Queen Regent, Lord Tyrion, or Joffrey. The night was still and silent.

I prefered it that way, it meant that I could think freely, without fear of being caught and slaughtered. As long as they were around, I was a caged bird singing the tunes that kept me alive, the songs they wanted to hear.

That's what I had begun to call the phrases and comments I most often spoke to them. Songs.

So repetitive.

They didn't save me from having to board a ship sailing across the Narrow Sea.

I couldn't help but wonder about what it would be like across the sea.

What would the Dothraki would like? What would the Khal be like?

I had heard very little since learning I was to be sent off, mostly that they were roamers. They valued horses highly since they traveled by horseback. And that there were vast amounts in each horde.

I was frightened of what my fate would entail. I imagined several situations, each was worse than the last.

All were centered around a possible wedding and meeting the Khal.

"Sansa." Lord Tywins voice carried over the waves, but only just. "Come inside, it isn't safe."

I sighed, reluctantly obeying.

It seems I would have to wait a while for further reflection.

* * *

Three weeks later. . . . .

The bustle of the ships crew and passengers eager to set foot on solid land made it difficult to catch a good glimpse of where the ship landed.

The Free City of Pentos.

We were to stay in the estate of one of the merchants of the city, Tharius. Lord Tywin could have chosen otherwise, but wanted the exchange to be discreet since not many people here approved of Robert's reign or Joffrey being named heir.

From what little I could gather from Lord Tywin, we would rest until a few hours past midday and then I would be presented to the Khal.

The heat was worse than Kings Landing and sweat beaded my flushing skin.

Lord Tywin walked onto the deck and stopped beside me, his back as straight as an arrow and arms resting behind his back. He gazed out at where Pentos was meant to be, unimpressed. "We wait until the crowd thins, then we will leave the ship. Not a moment before."

"Yes, my Lord." I answered automatically. At this point they were empty words, my voice hollow to my ears.

I had recited those words hundreds of thousands of times, for several reasons.

Slowly, the crowd thinned and it was possible to see Pentos better. It also meant that it was time to leave the ship.

Tyson turned to the servant that had accompanied us, his usual bright gold and red traded in for darker servant clothes. "Waric, fetch our belongings."

The thin man hurried to obey, scrambling below deck for our bags.

I almost wished that he wouldn't find them, that we would still be on the ship when it departed again. Then, I recalled the look on Joffrey's face as he taunted and tortured me. The smile he had on his lips as he showed me my father's head and when he forced me to kiss his sword.

Every part of me rebelled against the idea of going back to that life. I would marry a barbarian or die at his hand before I return to Westeros.

"Come on, you worthless swine. We have things to attend to." Lord Tywin growled, his hand reaching for me, covering my hair with a scarf. "Sansa."

I picked up my skirt and descended the plank, stepping onto the dock. From there we proceeded toward the foreign streets, made of some kind of stone if I had to guess. I paused and glanced down, breathing deeply as I formally stepped foot in Pentos for the first time in my life.

I was assaulted by noise and smells once we walked further from the ship. It was difficult to take it all at once.

There were markets, wooden stalls, and mobile carts all over the place. Merchants and other people I couldn't put a name to were shouting in tongues I'd never heard, some even alternating tongues every time they spoke.

Lord Tywin pulled me through the streets, not allowing me to stop to examine anything. "You have the rest of your life to take all of it in, at the moment I have to deliver you to the merchant."

"I know, my lord." I murmured, trying my best not to pant.

Panting was very unladylike, no matter why I felt the need to do it.

My feet began to ache not long after we started to walk, and I stumbled every so often. The further we traveled into the city, the more differences I noticed in the buildings. There was better quality in stone and craftsmanship. The designs were more elegant and had more effort put into them.

"Ah. Finally, some decent transportation in this pit." Lord Tywin declared, gesturing to a crude carriage.

The carriage, too, had many differences.

The most obvious difference was that it was made mostly of wooden poles and had a cloth tied down across the top to shield its passengers against the sun. The seats were lumpy, sewn crooked and covered with stained fabric.

The carriage was slightly faster than walking, but not too much.

The driver turned down a street less occupied, the stone better kept and of higher quality. Large houses spread as far apart as possible lined both sides of the street, each had smaller roads leading to the house and garden landscapes to compliment them. Each house and landscape was unique in color and design, no two looked exactly the same.

 _I am staying in one of those?_ I thought, bewildered and awed. My favorite part of each house was the landscape.

The driver stopped our carriage a few houses from the end of the street.

I accepted the hand Lord Tywin extended for me and carefully exited the carriage. I immediately attempted to take everything in at once, I wanted to learn what I could about my temporary home.

I directed my gaze at the house and gasped.

It may not have been the largest house I had seen, but it was the most elegant on the street. From what I could see on the outside, at least.

The walls were painted smooth cream colors and carved in the fashion of vines, delicately winding and twirling from the sides of the entrance outward, starting from the top and ending at the bottom. Other carvings joined them, but I couldn't focus on any one, because they were all eye catching.

The landscape was vibrant colors. Whites, yellows, blue, oranges and other colors were bold and beautiful flowers.

A man burst through the door and opened his arms, smiling. "Welcome! Welcome, my guests, to my humble home."

I squinted at the man as he came closer and Lord Tywin broke away from me to exchange words with him.

Tharius was about a head and a half shorter than Tywin, and wider around the middle, neither of which I expected. He had charcoal colored hair and dark brown skin, I caught sight of a thick scar stretching from his eyebrow to his jaw. His clothes were bright golds and dark forest greens, the design similar to robes I had seen worn by Varys and tan sandals on his feet.

"Tharius, thank you for agreeing to host us while we are in Pentos. If all goes well, we will only be staying for the wedding arrangements." Lord Tywin said, after the formal greetings were finished.

"It is my pleasure, the Dothraki should be arriving soon to meet your charge. Come inside, rest, you must be weary from your journey." Tharius gestured us inside, his robes billowing in the breeze behind him.

I obediently followed, Lord Tywin gripping my arm to make sure I would stay on the path. My heart sped up as I entered the house, the door closing after me.


End file.
